Your Weekend Commentary Here

An abridged version this morning as TSG Central’s been a little hectic: the dog’s got allergies and is frowning upon her spot being usurped by the baby, the baby’s in a growth spurt (and already a month ahead development wise….can’t I get some!) and eating every hour, and the lady’s about to lose her mind from cabin fever. I’m typing one-handed with a one month old chicken mcnugget in the other. Hectic!

The pooch is not a happy camper these days...

Meanwhile, the surf’s been good and we’ve got–dear Devin–prep work for a few more interviews, including Geoff Cameron. Devin wrote us yesterday:

How many interviews does shinguardian have stockpiled? The consent twitter teasing of them is almost as bad as the Algeria game!

OK not really but still!

No Devin we’re not stockpiling, but transcription’s a mother of all b*tches and we’re trying to get our first “Interview Week” at TSG going.

Back to the games and why you’ve come here:

• Lord Birmingham you are unwelcome by the Emirates

Cameron Jerome...it's time to assert yourself!

In one of the most exciting games of last year Wenger’s men went northward, looking to stay in the title hunt and despertately needing a win at St. Andrews–a match ground well protected by the home the Blues.

Arsenal thought they had found joy through a late Samir Nasri strike only to see McLeish’s men pull one back through Kevin Phillips at the death to earn the draw.

The Blues are hoping to make things sour southward in London. If they want to start moving up from top-ten status to top-seven or so.

• Sunday: Toffees Look to Make It Sticky for the (Finally Out Of The) Reds

Well, we’re guaranteed to get some good footie out of Merseyside this weekend. Both of these teams, because of the crowd buzz, bragging rights, and buildup in their own neighborhood are going to come to play for certain.

This game will be all about one thing–on the pitch that is–will Liverpool with a derby on the line and new owners perhaps in the booth–finally buy into Hodgson’s system and work as a team. Can their parts fashion the whole that the Royster wants?

Everton for their part have actually not played terrible…except in attack. David Moyes is at the experimentation table again–though he finally moved Fellaini appropriately back to the holding and linking role two weeks ago.

Tomorrow though, Fellaini is out and Arteta will have to carry the possession load with Stevie Piennaar. Here’s to hoping he hugs more security guards tomorrow.

If Everton can find offense–and Liverpool can’t co-exist–it’ll be a sugar high in Toffeeland.

We’ve got some stellar commentary on Liverpool here and some good stuff on Everton here.

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• Hansel, Gretel, Clint and one Grown Arse Man invite the men from White Hart Lane over

Will Eddie get a chance to be Hughes man?

Craven Cottage is the site for another derby as the Spurs take a short bus ride intracity. I like the dynamic that Rafael Van Der Vaart brings to the attack for Harry’s team only I’m not sure where to play him. He rightfully demands the ball, but he likes to float and his defense is positively Ole-like.

Look for the Spurs to use Van Der Vaart opposite Bale and as a #10 in the right center. That probably keeps Lennon on the bench as a sub.

Will EJ get run for the home side?

Can Old Trafford cool off West Brom?

Wayne Rooney is not in the eleven for the home side this morning, but Ryan Giggs. Will Paul Scholes or Gary Neville get in before him?

What about George Best?

Newcastle vs. Wigan

Sorry had to make the headline as exciting as this game might be (sorry Wigan/Newcastle fans.)

Worse on the docket this weekend? Blackburn vs. Sunderland as the feature game on Monday and there’s a snowball’s chance in hell of me doing a preview for that one…so:

Former Newcastle-Wigan and now Sunderland man Titus Bramble is on Twitter!

If he’s half as funny as his defending, then we’ll all be rewarded.

You like how I tied that all in and brought that heinous joke full circle?

Ah, but there was something funny about the Newcastle-Wigan match. It’s early in the season, true, but there is one club who’s yet to concede on the road and it’s … Wigan. No, really. Seriously. Yes, the same club that let in 10 in two home matches. This is only their third road match – not such a good sign for avoiding relegation when your early schedule is slanted toward home matches and you don’t get the points you expect (v Blackpool and Sunderland).

It’s a real problem. Wigan simply don’t have the talent to squander points, and yet today they pull a Man United (lol) and squander a 2-0 lead … it’s as if Martinez can only manage to inspire the team for short stretches at a time, and I just can’t see that as a viable strategy at this level.

I admired his optimism at first, but even then, perhaps visions of Europe were a little much … a more realistic goal would have been to establish themselves firmly in the middle of the table. That obviously didn’t happen last year and it doesn’t seem likely this year.

When goal difference is so important, you can’t throw away 15- to 30-minute stretches of games. You have to remain focused the entire match, even away to Chelsea or Arsenal or whoever when you’re down early.

I wish I had a more informed opinion as to what he should be doing differently … I don’t see many matches and have to rely on reports and other commentary, and that isn’t nearly as good as first-hand experience. My feeling is that Wigan need someone who can bring a more measured approach to matches (fewer low points, even at the expense of highs) and get the most from the limited talent they have, particularly with respect to finishing. A side like the Latics can’t afford to waste the few opportunities they generate, and honestly other than Rodallega and perhaps N’Zogbia, I’m not sure they have someone who can be relied upon to finish.